Middlesex knocked out by Surrey at drizzly Lord’s

Middlesex’s hopes of making the knockout stages of the Royal London One-Day Cup were ended by rivals Surrey, who held their nerve at a drizzly Lord’s to win a rain-shortened encounter with four balls to spare.

John Simpson top-scored with 29 as the hosts hit five fours and four sixes on their way to 101-8 in 16 overs.

Middlesex then struck twice in the first two overs but a stand of 66 between Ben Foakes (45) and Zafar Ansari (29 not out) took Surrey to within one run of the finishing line.

Ironically, if the match had been declared a no result – which for most of a dank day seemed the likely outcome – Middlesex would have qualified instead of Surrey.

But after a frustrating afternoon punctuated by rain, play finally began at 6.30pm – and, despite a busy start from Paul Stirling (13), Middlesex were wobbling at 23-3 after three overs.

Dawid Malan went for a first ball duck, Nick Gubbins was spectacularly caught one-handed by keeper Foakes off Tom Curran, who then foxed Stirling with a slower off-cutter.

George Bailey made 12 before being bowled by Gareth Batty’s arm ball and James Franklin’s 13 ended with a lofted catch to long on off Curran.

Simpson played a responsible hand but then edged behind off Stuart Meaker, before Surrey picked up late wickets as Middlesex attempted big hits.

Surrey went hard from the off and losing four key wickets in the first six overs of their chase put them under self-inflicted pressure.

Jason Roy edged the first ball of the innings from Toby Roland-Jones to keeper Simpson, and in the next over Ollie Rayner took a fine catch to remove Steven Davies.

Rory Burns dragged a ball from James Harris into his stumps and then Aaron Finch – after smashing three sixes – was bowled for 24 by off-spinner Rayner.

However, the superb Foakes-Ansari partnership – done in nine overs – took the game away from Middlesex and Surrey will now face Northamptonshire in the last eight.